John A. MacDonald was Canada’s first prime minister. He also helped institute the Residential schools system that tortured and abused young indigenous Canadians. All this was done far away from their families and resulted in many deaths in unmarked graves. Because of this, MacDonald’s name is currently being taken off of many schools and other homages.
A plan to honour each prime minister with a statue in Wilmot Township here in southwestern Ontario has finally been trashed. This came after the John A. MacDonald sculpture had red paint thrown on it a number of times.
In the article I linked to is a picture of the sculpture of John A. MacDonald for this project. He leans on two chairs. I think that this was going to be an interactive feature where two subjects could sit in the chairs with John A.
I’ve listened to the “don’t erase history” crowd and I think the sculpture could still be used somewhere if we cut off the chairs.
Why cut off the chairs? Well then John A. appears less welcoming. He also looks off kilter and a bit unbalanced. As well he will look like he has no support anymore.
And for good measure we can throw red paint on this sculpture to finish him. After all we’ve gotten used to seeing him with red paint and he looks kind of naked without it. It also illustrates the blood he has on him.
Now my ideas may not be exactly what the “don’t erase history” crowd wanted. But not only does it show the history of the mid to late 19th century, it will also illustrate the history of our present day. And displaying him in this way is better than paying for storage for him.
I would also like to note that John A. MacDonald was knighted in his day. Note that more and more people are failing to use the honourific Sir when discussing him. I really can’t blame them. Not one tiny bit. How does that feel John A.?
